Men’s cage coach gets gift; wrestlers have perfect week

The Pennsylvania College of Technology men’s basketball team gave first-year coach Geoff Hensley a holiday gift last week as it snapped an eight-game losing string and posted its first win of the season. Meanwhile, the college’s wrestling squad went 3-0.

Men’s basketballHosting Penn State Berks in North Eastern Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, Penn College carved out a six-point halftime lead but was outscored by 14 in the second half of a 75-67 loss. Jeff Nixon, of Bristol, led the Wildcats with 16 points and Ryan Lockman, of White Salmon, Washington, knocked in 12 points as they fell to 0-3 in the conference. NEAC play resumes Jan. 9.

In nonconference home action against Clarks Summit University, Penn College battled back from a 13-point deficit for a 72-68 victory on Saturday. The Wildcats put 47 second-half points on the board, thanks to 6-of-12 3-point shooting, while holding CSU to 32 points. Spencer Bartron, of Camden, Delaware, led Penn College scorers with 22 points; Carson Garvis, of Taneytown, Maryland, came off the bench to score 14; and Imari Walker, of Pittsburgh, added 10 points.

Women’s basketballOn Wednesday at home with Penn State Berks, the Wildcats lost, 86-59. Madison Klock, of Elysburg, led Penn College with 11 points while Kaylah Brown, of Suffolk, Virginia, and Maci Ilgen, of Spring Mills, each scored 10 points. Penn College was outscored in the paint, 42-24, and Berks scored 27 points off 22 Wildcats turnovers. The loss dropped Penn College to 0-3 in the NEAC. Conference play resumes Jan. 9.

Saturday in nonconference play at Elmira College, the Wildcats fell to 0-8 on the season after a 69-58 loss. Brown led four Penn College players in double figures with 20 points. Elmira built a 40-19 halftime lead and, for the game, outscored the Wildcats in the paint, 48-36, and in points off turnovers, 20-11.

WrestlingAt the Keystone Quadrangular on Saturday, the Wildcats downed Keystone College, 29-17; SUNY Ulster, 35-12; and Thaddeus Stevens, 24-9, in improving to 5-3 in dual match competition. For Penn College, Dylan Otis, of Wyalusing, went 3-0 in the 285-pound weight class with a pair of falls, while 133-pounder Christian Fox, of Boyertown, and 197-pounder Jared Mooney, of Palmerton, also both finished 3-0. Going 2-1 on the day for the Wildcats were Colin Jens, of Centreville, Maryland, at 141; Jesse Walker, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, at 149; Alec Dickey, of Williamsport, at 157; and Dylan Gettys, of Etters, at 174 and 184.

New turf field coming to campusThe college soon will have a synthetic turf field as installation of a 123-by-85-yard synthetic turf field, base, drainage and associated improvements will begin soon after the spring sports schedule is completed. Construction is expected to take three months, with completion due in time to accommodate the fall sports schedule.

The specially designed monofilament and slit-film (hybrid) system field will allow for activity through a variety of temperatures, as well as in wet, dry and frozen conditions. Annual maintenance costs for the new field will be less than one-quarter of those for grass.

To date, the athletic field complex at the west end of campus adjacent to the field house, has been enhanced with extended bleachers (with a capacity of 650 spectators), a new press box and scoreboard. The next step is to replace the existing grass field with synthetic turf.

The cost for the new field is estimated to be $1.4 million and the college is launching a fundraising campaign to help defray costs for the turf field and other enhancements to the athletic complex.

In addition to intercollegiate athletics, the complex is used by intramural sports, club sports and student activities. With the installation of synthetic turf, the field also will be able to be reserved by outside groups and youth sports organizations.